The Magic of Words on a page

Based on the book "Alice", by Sara Flanigan. Character essay by the Alice explaining her thoughts of reading. For more information consult your local library and read the book "Alice".

6-9-98 Chad Alexander Worden

The Magic of Words on a Page

When Sammy first showed me a book I did not know what it was for. He opened it up and started to read from it and it was like moths flying into his mouth and emerging as butterflies. But I could not catch them. They did not fly right to my eyes. I would look at the page then at Sammy and see nothing. But the magic was somewhere between Sammy and the book. When Granny started to teach me to read I began to unravel the cloth around my eyes that had blinded me from the magic of words on a page. Little by little as the blindfold slipped, I saw the little golden moths that laid on the paper. And whenever I read a word it would turn into a moth and fly into my face. If I read aloud it would go into my mouth and in my stomach and then come out as a beautiful butterfly. Now I can make the magic and see it. I wonder what it would look like if Sammy and I read aloud at once. Would the moths fly off the page into both of our mouths at once? Would they fly in one mouth and then the other? Would they take turns? Do loops, twirls, dances in the air between us? I will have to find out.

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